Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems
US7576868B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 2007 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 1, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B9/02084
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A first portion of a beam including a first frequency component is directed along a first path. A second portion of the beam is frequency shifted to generate a shifted beam that includes a second frequency component different from the first frequency component and one or more spurious frequency components different from the first frequency component. At least a portion of the shifted beam is directed along a second path different from the first path. An interference signal S(t) from interference between the beam portions directed along the different paths is measured. The signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the paths, where n is an average refractive index along the paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the paths, and t is time. An error signal is provided to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t) that are caused by at least one of the spurious frequency components of the shifted beam, the error signal being derived at least in part based on the signal S(t).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.